Life and Death
by Sicanasda
Summary: Ok. This is a Rose-Dart pairing. Longer than most others I've seen, except for my other LOD fic, 'The Rose'. Just so you know, Shana is dead and the world is a better place because of it. Please review it and if you like it, I may add more chapters. Enjoy


Ok, this takes place in an alternate reality where Shana doesn't survive after the fight with Melbu Frahma. Personally I think the world's a better place because of it. I don't like Shana very much anyhow. Anyway, read and review. I may make this an ongoing production if you would like me to. Enjoy.

Dart fell to his knees as soon as they were a safe distance from the explosion generated by the virage embryo. Albert and the rest of the Dragoons tried to comfort him but were to no avail. Nothing could calm his soul now. 

Shana had died in the explosion and Rose had died along side her. He had no meaning in life now. The only people he ever cared for were dead. Shana had been like a little sister to him. They shared a bond like that. Rose… He never told her but he admired her courage and power, her will to not let go of a friend. But now, she was dead.

Dart remembered back when the two of them had fallen into the sea after exploring the phantom ship. She had not let go of him even though it was endangering her life. He didn't tell her that he had been awake in the cave after they washed up on the shore. Somehow, he had felt good when she rested his head in her lap. 

He hated himself for letting her go. How could he have been so stupid? He could have stopped her from flying into the explosion; he could have stopped the pain of loss before it began. But no, he hesitated too long. If he could go back, he would have flown into death before her, thus saving her life and ending his pain.

All he had now was a ring from her finger and a lock of her hair. He felt the ring and made a vow to her soul, that he would always wear it. He lifted the hair and brushed it across his cheek. It smelled of her fragrance. He held it tightly in his fist and stood up. 

The others came to him as he began to dig a small hole. He latched two sticks together to make a cross. He then repeated the process for Shana's cross. He placed the lock of hair in one hole and covered. He then carved the name 'Rose' on the cross before adding his own feelings toward her upon it and embedding it in the soil. He then placed the locket that Shana gave him before he left on his first journey in the second hole and covered it and put the second cross in the ground.

He then left a ring from his finger upon Rose's grave and the group left. He walked in silence, a man without any purpose in life. He walked until the only proof he had been there was the ring on the mound.

Shadows swirled around him as they neared Seles. What would he say to Shana's parents? That although they trusted him to protect their daughter, she was dead? They would never forgive him. But what would he do? The idea of suicide had arose in his mind several times, but he wasn't sure he could do it. But each time he thought about it, he came closer to drawing his sword upon himself.

Albert had convinced Meru to stay in Seles for a while. He was worried that Dart would make an attempt on his own life. At times he felt that it was only because of the fact that the others were beside Dart that kept him from killing himself right there. Albert realized how much this journey hurt Dart. Lavitz died in front of him. Shana died in his arms. Rose… she died seconds after giving him her ring. Albert didn't want Dart's journey to end in death.

Meru and Dart lifted the final brick into place and completed Dart's home. As it turned out, Shana's parents did not hold him responsible for their daughter's death, but he still had never forgiven himself. He planned to kill himself as soon as Meru left Seles. He didn't want a friend to be near when he murdered himself.

Meru, unknowing the young man's plans, prepared to leave in the morning. She told this to Dart after they finished the house. He saw that his chance was coming and sharpened his blade. That night as Meru slept, he said his final prayer, awaiting morning when he would end all his suffering. He planned to do the deed in exactly 24 hours.

Little did he know of the hooded figure who stood in the alley, watching his home. A hand reached into the pocket of the cloak and felt the golden ring and the initials carved into it. 'D.F'. Another hand reached back and secured the hood and the figure watched in silence, until Meru left for her own temporary home. The figure then snuck across the street and jumped up to the roof without making so much as a sound. Then the figure snuck to the side of the roof and looked over the edge, through the window into Dart's room. He was not yet in so the figure flipped down and landed quietly inside the room. She unfastened the cloak and waited in the shadows.

Dart finished what he thought would be his last dinner. He slowly walked up the stairs, reliving that awful day when he lost all that he cared for. He nearly cried when he heard the last words Rose said. "Take this ring and remember me always." He looked at the ring and held it tightly in his fist. "I deserve to die. I couldn't stand up and protect Shana or Rose. I'm a coward." He whispered to himself.

The figure in his room heard the small whisper and hid in the shadows once again as he entered the room. "I didn't deserve anything to remember her by. I didn't deserve the privilege of being able to awaken every morning and have something to look at that reminded me of all the beauty she had." She heard him say this out loud and was shocked at the words. 

Dart felt as though everything that had been bad since then was a result of his cowardice. If only he stood tall and didn't jump out of the way as Melbu Frahma shot the beam at him, Shana would still be alive. If he had done that one thing, Rose might have lived as well, for she had said she would get her revenge for what Melbu Frahma did to Shana. And she did. At the price of her own life she was not a coward like him and she sacrificed herself so the others would live.

He thought of these things over and over. How it would have been different if he had been braver. Then from the shadows he heard a voice. "I see you haven't forgotten about the incident or about the death of Shana. But I do believe you need these back. I have no need for them yet."

Dart turned and fell to his knees. "No. You can't be alive. You can't be. I saw you die. You can't be alive."

The woman stepped out of the shadows and placed her hands upon his face. "But I am, I am alive. I couldn't leave you alone. Not after that bastard took Shana from you. And, judging by the way you've been talking to yourself, you need somebody back."

"But how? How can you be alive? The last I saw of you was when you flew into the explosion. How did you survive?" Dart felt tears sting his eyes. They wee a mixture of pain of reliving the memories, joy from finding the dead alive and utter confusion.

"I'm not all that sure myself. I saw a flash of light, then darkness. When I awoke, I was laying on the ground near two graves. You made them, didn't you? And I am surprised at what you wrote on one of them."

"Rose, I… I didn't realize it until I thought you were gone."

"Yes, it is strange how these feeling work. You don't realized your true feelings until it's too late to change and use these feelings. But God has given us a second chance. I believe we should use it."

"What, what do you mean?"

"I mean, what I'm trying to say is, you wrote what you felt toward me on the cross. Here, I will show you."

She pulled a cross out of a pocket in the cloak. Dart recognized it as the cross he made. "Read. Right here."

The cross read, 'In the loving memory of Rose. I had not realized my true feeling until too late. Now I fear she may never know them.'

"I wrote that the instant the cross was made. I buried the lock of hair you gave me so that at least a small piece of you would be under the protection of the cross. I left the ring on the grave as a gift for your friendship and bravery. But still I never expected that you had still been alive! I just don't know what to say."

"We are past words. But I do know of what you have been planning. You may have noticed a beggar upon the streets lately. It was I. I have been watching you for a while and I learned of your plan. When I learned you were planning it tomorrow; I had to make myself known. You're not alone anymore, You'll never be alone."

And she then placed her lips upon his. He felt the pain disappear from inside him. He felt the first smile in half a year pierce his lips. He gently took hold of her soft, delicate hands. He looked into her dark purple eyes and was utterly lost in them. He knew that his idiotic ideas for ending his pain were gone and now he had a new plan. He would make up for Shana's death by giving all the courage he could to protect Rose.

"Rose, I want you to know, whatever happens, ever, I'll be with you."

"Dart, you took the words right out of my mouth. I know we'll be together forever, day or night, darkness or light."

The two then shared another kiss before falling asleep in each other's arms. 

But all was not calm, that night of love. The world would soon call upon the power of the Dragoon once more, and the dragoons would have no choice but to stand and fight for the ones they love. No one could possibly know of the evil that was rising as thousands of miles from are heroes, in the ashes of the divine tree, a clawed hand broke from a small fruit, followed closely by thousands more.

"Good," A voice said from the shadows, "Now the world will finally know of the Age of the Virage!"

Oh, I just get so choked up with emotions. Woah, that was strange. Anyway, this is probably the shortest fic I ever wrote. But I like, no, love Rose romances as long as they're not with: Lavitz, Albert, Lloyd (I don't know what's up with people and Rose-Lloyd romances), Haschel, Kongol (I know, scary thought) or any of the girls. (For you sick minded people) But this is my second Rose romance story. Like I said before, I HATE Shana! She's such an annoying little *&^%#! But PLEASE, please review and make m feel as though you appreciate my work. But if you are like me and Rose is your ALL-TIME favorite character read my other story, 'The Rose and the Author'. Now I bet you're not reading this anymore, but if you are, I will continue this piece of work after I have enough GOOD reviews. Thank you and bye-bye now. Redblaze, signing off.


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